Breaking Point
by Shadow Sanctuary
Summary: The thrilling saga of Yugi and Joey's angst-ridden romance continues as the two struggle to find love within each other. Caution:yaoi between Yugi and Joey.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimers: Much to my dismay, I do not own or claim to have created any of the characters from Yu-Gi-Oh! Please don't sue me for composing this story…I have a certain weakness for bishounen, and I couldn't resist writing about them. -^_^- This piece of literature contains, fluff, angst, violence, rape, and major abuse to Yugi and Bakura. Joey also suffers from severe psychological damage, too. If you aren't up to reading about adult-oriented situations, I advise you to find another fan fiction to peruse. With that in mind, I do hope you enjoy my story. Please don't be shy about submitting reviews to me…**constructive criticism** is most appreciated, not vile insults. Domo arigato! -^.^-

Chapter One: Anxiety's Dreams

"Oh…YEAH!!" exclaimed Joey, jumping up from his position on the couch. "Yes, yes, YES!"

It had been seven hours since he had switched sitting locations. The blonde's muscles were sore from lack of exercise, but he didn't seem to mind it much. Not even a temporary bout of blurred vision (due to having his face only a foot or so away from the television screen) phased him. Bouncing around the living room, the energetic teenager proceeded to do a victory dance.

"I'm bad, I know it, uh-huh, yeah-huh!" he chanted continuously, his body jerking back and forth in funny little sporadic movements.

"Can't you find another place in this house to trip over stuff in?" came a voice from the left side of the room.

Pausing in his freestyle actions, the blond glanced over his shoulder. There, standing in the kitchen doorway, was the most distressed Tea he had ever witnessed. Lines of anxiety creased the poor girl's brow as she clenched a bundle of papers in her hand. A pencil stuck haphazardly out of her brown tresses, mangled within its dark depths. Adding to her tousled appearance, a few post-it notes were randomly placed on various parts of her clothes. Usually the one known for being the most spirited out of all his best friends, the cheerleader's present state of disarray came as a surprise to him. Seeing that she wasn't in the mood to be teased, Joey decided to try to sort out what was wrong. The worst thing that could happen would be her smacking him for prying into her private thoughts.

"Hey, what's up, babe?" asked Joey, cracking a lop-sided grin.

"Not much, nothing at all." replied the brown-headed adolescent coolly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Broadening his smirk to a smile, the lively teenager stretched his arms over his head. Sighing in relief, he said, "Ah, that's good to hear. I couldn't tell what you were thinking with that lovely glare of yours when you came in here. Actually, I thought you were going to yell at me or something." confessed the blonde, closing his eyes as his head slowly tilted backwards. "I mean, I'm glad everything's goin' great for ya."

Slapping her forehead in frustration, Tea grumbled through clenched teeth, "Yeah, everything's just fine."

Picking up on the agitated tone his friend had produced, Joey opened one of his eyes. Taking in her irritated stance with a dark umber orb, he cocked his head to the side. "You sure you're okay, Tea?" inquired the puzzled adolescent.

"What do you think?" the cheerleader shot back.

"I think you're mad about something and you won't tell me what." answered Joey while letting his arms flop back to his sides.

Unable to stand the blonde's ignorance any longer, Tea yelled, "It's _you, _you dweeb! It was you in the first place! Don't you get it yet?!"

Startled by the emotional response directed at him, the teenager stepped backwards. "Me? But you said that you were fine--"

"That only lasted until you had to sing your stupid catch-phrases!" Tea complained, cutting off Joey's sentence. "Now my concentration is broken, and it's all thanks to you!"

"They're not 'catch-phrases,' they're--well--uh, they're--"

An eyebrow perched above one of her analytical sky-blue eyes told him that she wasn't about to engage in an argument. Switching his weight to his other foot, the blond decided to drop the subject. 

"Well?" said the brown-haired girl, impatient in getting an explanation out of him.

"Well, they're just some encouraging words I say every now and then to keep myself motivated." responded the adolescent, a hint of a grin returning to his mouth. "That's all, nothing to get all worked up about."

"Is that so?" questioned the cheerleader in mock disbelief.

"Yep. It's all good." smiled Joey good-naturedly. 

"Then why do you resemble a puppy dog who can't find it's way to the bathroom while you recite your little 'motivational' speeches?"

"Hey! That's not funny, Tea! Those were some of my best moves!" retorted the blond, hating to be called the same four-legged animal that Kaiba accused him of being.

"If that's what you call dancing, then you should stop skipping class and ask our teacher for some extra help on the weekends." snorted the brown-haired teenager in annoyance. "That's the kind of dancing a terminally ill dog would do."

"You've hit a new low today, babe." declared the blond, taking the callous remark in stride. "But I know you're upset at more than just me barkin' out some silly string of lingo."

"And how did you arrive at such an obscure conclusion?" inquired the cheerleader, regarding her friend with a penetrating sapphire-eyed gaze.

" 'Cuz ya always make a face when other things are on your mind."

Narrowing her eyes at him, Tea inquired, "A face? What kind of face?"

"Um, it's sorta like this." Joey answered, screwing his features up into a wrinkled mass of flesh. "Y'know, like a monkey's face."

"Oooh, Joey, you sure know how to bring out the worst in me!" accused the brown-haired girl, crinkling her nose.

"Yeah, well, when you're doing whatever you're doing with your nose, you don't look like a monkey anymore."

Blinking a few times, the cheerleader asked, "What do I look like now?"

Smirking with cruel intentions, the blond replied, "A gorilla."

"Gah, you deranged baka!" spat the brown-haired girl in disgust. Picking up a pillow on a nearby chair, she threw it at her mouthy friend.

"Aaah! What was _that_ for?" complained Joey, the smile still remaining on his visage. 

"In case you didn't know, 'You look like a monkey' isn't a compliment, Joey Wheeler!" giggled Tea, sending another fluffy projectile his way. "I wouldn't plan on using that as a pick-up line on anyone!"

"Man, everyone's a critic!" said the blond, waving her off while dodging another hurled pillow. "Chicks are just too hard to please sometimes. If ya ask me, they should be thankin' me for talkin' to them!"

"Oh, I'm so gonna get you for that, you narcissist!" the cheerleader announced in her most confident and determined tone. 

Gathering up an armful of satiny weapons, the brown-haired girl flung them at her ally with as much strength as she could muster. Joey tried to block the oncoming assault by ducking behind the sofa, but some of them managed to thump different spots on him. Pulling some of the fallen cushions into his grasp, the blond prepared himself to give an attack of his own.

"I hope ya already wrote your will, Tea, 'cuz you're goin' down!" cried the animated adolescent, racing toward her with frightening speed. 

"Oh, no you don't!" the brown-haired girl yelled, scrambling to retrieve a pillow for defense. "You're mine!"

Nearly colliding into each other, the two comrades became engaged in a one-on-one grudge match. Both were relentless in their attacks, mercilessly hitting one another with a barrage of soft material. Eventually they found themselves down on the carpet, their throats erupting in what seemed to be like endless laughter. It was times like these that they valued the most, memories that would be cherished and treasured forever. 

When they were finally capable of catching their breath, Joey whispered into Tea's ear, "Y'know what?"

Smirking slightly, his comrade whispered back. "What?"

"You're smiling."

Giggling a tad, the brown-haired girl nodded her assent. "I suppose I am."

"You know what else?"

"There's more?"

"Yeah-huh. The fact that you owe me some thanks for it."

Scrunching up her face, the cheerleader refused to admit that he made her feel better. "You're pushing your luck there."

"Aw, c'mon now, tell me I did a good job." coaxed the blond, brushing some stray strands of brown hair out of his friend's visage.

Peering up at him with brilliant azure eyes, Tea sighed in defeat. "Joey, I--I want to thank-you for helping to bring me up again. I couldn't have done it without you today."

"Don't mention it." smiled the happy-go-lucky teenager. Bounding up from the floor, he offered his hand to her. "You know I'll always catch you when ya fall."

Glancing at his outstretched limb, the cheerleader beamed a smile at him before receiving it. "I know. That's what's so cool about you and Yugi and Bakura: the three of you will always stand by me no matter what."

Taking a moment to absorb her sincere appreciation for him, Joey realized she was neglecting to mention one of his friend's names. "Aren't ya forgettin' someone?"

"Who might that be?" she inquired, seeming to be genuinely perplexed.

"Tristen. What about Tristen?"

After the name registered in her mind, the adolescent shrugged. "Ahhh…_that_ one. I dunno about him."

"What do ya mean by that? You seemed to be havin' a fine time this morning during breakfast--"

"Yeah, well that was _before_ I tried to teach him trigonometry." mumbled Tea, fiddling with the pencil twined in her hair

"Trig? You tried teachin' him _Trig_?" grinned Joey, suppressing the overwhelming urge to bust out in absolute laughter. "What were you thinking tryin' to teach him that junk?"

"Well, he asked for my help to begin with." the brown-haired girl explained, concentrating on getting her writing utensil out of her tresses. "Tomorrow we have our final exam before we break for the Christmas holidays, so--"

"The final's tomorrow?!" interrupted the blond, his eyes as wide as some of the round cushions they had a pillow fight with.

"Uh-huh." replied the cheerleader bobbing her head up and down. "We've known that for three weeks already. Anyways, I agreed to show him some concepts, but he--"

"Damnit!" cursed Joey, clasping his head with his hands. "Damn, damn _damn_! I completely forgot about the exam! What'm I gonna do, Tea? I can't afford to fail anymore tests, and this'll be my only chance to bring up my average!"

Instead of being annoyed with his constant interruptions, Tea gave him a warm smile. "Don't worry about it. There's worse things in life than what kind of grade you make on some cheap, standardized test."

"Yeah, like getting booted outta the class I'm in now and bein' shoved in a room full of math retards." grumbled the blond, hanging his head dejectedly between his shoulders.

"Aren't you one of those 'math retards?' " asked the cheerleader, a tiny smirk reappearing on her lips.

"So? I know I am, but that doesn't mean I want the rest of the school to know!" griped Joey, massaging his temples. "If word gets out about me bein' too dumb to pass the class, you know what that means!"

"That Kaiba would have been right when he summed you up to be 'a scared little Chihuahua who has to constantly copy off of Yugi's papers to get a decent score?' "

Glaring at his friend darkly, the blond responded, "You didn't have to put it so--so--"

"Honestly?" offered Tea, re-crossing her arms in front of her body.

"Bingo." admitted Joey, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"It's like I said previously, Joey: you don't have to answer to anybody--"

"But my reputation's on the line!" complained the blond, worry marks etching themselves into his features.

"But you still have the rest of the day to prepare for the final, don't you?" countered Tea, tilting her head to the side.

"What good does that do me if I'm stupid in the subject?" questioned the blond as he became more depressed. "I'll just be wasting my time."

"Then that's where I come in at." smiled the brown-haired girl, draping an arm around her friend's shoulders. "How about it? I could use some more study time myself, and you need the extra practice, so--"

"So you'd really teach me how to do all that stuff?" asked Joey excitedly, a glimmer of hope returning to his dark umber eyes.

"Of course." Tea agreed, her grin widening at the sight of his boyish enthusiasm. "You helped me already, and I think it's time for me to return the favor."

Incapable of restraining himself any further, the blond threw his arms around his comrade's neck. The force of his friendly gesture nearly made her topple backwards, but she stood her ground. When she sensed she could keep her balance without falling down, the cheerleader embraced him as well.

"Don't be too pleased with me right now," warned the brown-haired teenager, tousling his honey blond locks. "I'm not gonna go easy on you, you know."

"I don't care, do whatever you'd like!" exclaimed Joey, happy that Kaiba wasn't going to be able to call him a dog for long. "Oh, boy this is so great…I'm gonna be a math genius!"

"Uh, Joey, don't get too ambitious on me." advised Tea, struggling out of his suffocating grip. "Just because I'm teaching you doesn't necessarily mean that your going to be able to learn about nine weeks of mathematics in one day."

"Sure it does! You've got the highest average in our class, and you never make below a 95 on any of your tests!"

"That may be true, but I really don't have the best grade in our class…Yugi does." corrected the cheerleader, hoping that Joey would let up in the pressure of his hug.

As soon as she had mentioned their other best friend, the blond let go of the brown-haired teenager. He had only seen him once this morning, and that was for a few fleeting moments. Before he could even say good-bye, the benevolent king of games had collected his belongings and rushed out of their dwelling. A new concern began to take residence in the corners of his mind, a kind of nauseating sensation that something wasn't quite right with their comrade…

Yearning to appease the unsettling feeling he had, Joey asked, "Tea, have you seen Yug yet?"

"Not since I made breakfast." Tea replied, rubbing her aching arms with her fingertips.

"Not at all?" pressed the blond, his uneasiness growing.

"Nope. I only saw him for a few seconds today…he seemed to be in a hurry."

"You totally sure about that?" interrogated Joey, his levels of stress mounting.

"Yes, Joey…I'm sure I haven't seen him since he left." confirmed the cheerleader, removing the colored post-it notes from her attire. "Why are you grilling me all of a sudden?"

"Huh? Oh, I was just wondering what he's up to now." replied the blond, concealing his true reasons for his abrupt questions. "No harm in that, right?"

A soft smile illuminated her lightly-colored cheeks. No matter how hard her ally attempted to cover up his emotions, the way his eyes glistened when someone even mentioned Yugi gave him away every time. There was no mistaking the wealth of feelings he had for the renowned duelist, for he seemed positively radiant in his friend's presence. 

__

/That's because the two of them are practically brothers./ thought Tea, reflecting on the many memories of Joey and Yugi together. _/When they're by each other's sides there's nothing that they can't achieve. It's so sweet the way he gets all worked up over Yugi, fretting about him whenever he's not here with us. Friends like that are impossible to separate./_

Tenderly placing her hand on the blonde's shoulder, the cheerleader sought to relieve his nervousness. "Don't worry about him. You know he's perfectly capable of taking care of himself."  


__

/But he's so small and defenseless in appearance!/ Joey's mind argued against Tea's reassurance. _/He may be great at card playing, but he's not much for brute strength. What if some sadistic maniac tries to put the moves on him? I'm not gonna be there to protect him, and the psychopath'll have his way with my Yug!/_

Just as he had let the phrase slip out of his thoughts, the blond shook his head. Even though he wished with all of his heart that the beautiful boy would ask him out, he knew that would never happen. He just wanted to be given a chance to court Yugi once--just once, that's all. That's all he ever wanted: for his best friend to look his way and share a special smile with him, maybe even a peck on the cheek later on. Nothing too advanced, and nothing that would risk putting their overall relationship in jeopardy. Ever since the two became friends, they had developed an unbroken bond that would withstand the test of time. 

__

/Why can't we continue to work on that connection? Would that be so wrong?/ wondered Joey, his disposition growing wistful. _/Maybe I'm just screwed in the head or something. Maybe I'm just not a worthwhile enough guy to get a commitment out of. I'm not the most wonderful catch in the world, but I've got feelings, too…shouldn't that count for something? Devotion, loyalty, honesty…I'd give all that to him and then some. Why can't I do that? Why can't I love him and be loved, too?/_


	2. Ashes of Innocence

Chapter 2: Ashes of Innocence

"Joey?" a distant voice called. 

Snapping out of his reverie, the blond lifted his head to see who had spoken his name. His brown-haired comrade stood before him with worried azure eyes, waiting for him to address her. Dismissing his daydreams of being with Yugi, Joey gave the cheerleader a comforting pat on the back.

"I'm sorry for getting all sensitive about nothing. " the blond apologized, suppressing the tension he felt gnawing on his insides. "You're right, I nag at him too much. I don't give him the credit he deserves sometimes."

"See? I told you he'll be okay." repeated Tea, flashing Joey her most spirited smile. "I know you like to play the role of big brother for him, but it's good to let up on him once in a while, too."

"You mean I'm too clingy?" asked the blond, fearful that everyone was catching on about how he felt about his absent friend.

"No, but it wouldn't hurt to let the poor kid have some breathing space. Just let him live a little." advised the brown-haired adolescent. With a twist and turn of her wrist, she freed her pencil from the lengthy tresses that confined it. Grasping the writing utensil with one hand, she shook it at him as if she were a teacher. "I've got less than a night to cram over fifty concepts into that thick skull of yours, Joey. I say we start studying ," Tea lectured while poking him in the nose with her pencil, "or you can stay in the dog house come test time."

The blond emitted a low whistle. "You drive a hard bargain, sis."

"Then, shall we?" the cheerleader inquired, opening the door to the kitchen once more

"Alright, let's do it. I'll be in there in a little while."

"Sounds like somebody's trying to find a way to get out of being lectured." grunted the brown-haired teenager.

Joey smiled at the accusation. "Naw, I just gotta run upstairs and get my text book." 

Cocking an eyebrow in suspicion, Tea replied, "Okay, I'll be working with Tristen 'till you find your way into the kitchen."

Watching his comrade disappear into the adjacent room, the blond resumed his melancholy state. He could barely bring himself to comprehend the fact that he would be spending his valuable sleeping hours shoving Trig into his mind. Tea wasn't exactly one to offer multiple break periods, either. Sighing sadly to himself, Joey began to trudge up the stairs to retrieve his supplies.

__

/Ah, well…at least I can daydream about me an' Yugi together./ he thought, a faint grin beginning to form on his mouth.

As he began his slow ascent to the second story of the house, the front door creaked open. Turning to catch a glimpse at who just walked in, the blond froze in mid step. Immediately recognizing the individual, Joey leaped over the banister to welcome him home.

"Hey, Yug! How's it hangin'?" greeted the rambunctious teenager, relieved to see the object of his affection safe.

Not even bothering to return the salutation, the child-like duelist's face dragged the floor as he entered the town home. Pushing past his ally as if he wasn't even there, the pretty adolescent kept his arms tightly wrapped around his body. Taken aback by the abrupt actions of his friend, Joey stood in silent shock. 

__

/What the hell's goin' on here?/ the blond wondered, almost speaking his thoughts out loud. _/Did some street tough get the better of him while he was alone today?/_

Before he could arrive at a logical conclusion for his comrade's behavior, the troubled adolescent crumpled to the carpet. Landing with a heavy thud that made Joey wince, Yugi sat on his knees and stared at nothing. It was as if the young boy had been brainwashed and was awaiting a new command from his master. Genuine concern creased the blonde's brow as he attempted to confront the dazed youth once again.

"Yug, are you okay?"

No response.

Bothered by the deafening silence he was receiving, Joey proceeded to get to the bottom of the boy's radical attitude change. Walking cautiously around his companion's current position, the blond placed his own body in front of Yugi's. Sitting face-to-face with the blankly-gazing duelist, Joey peered into his friend's eyes. Dark umber orbs sought to capture the attention of shiny magenta ones, but to no avail. There was nothing but a sort of eerie vacancy residing in the child-like adolescent's eyes, a quality that made Joey's blood feel like ice water. And the haunting look overwhelming the boy's naturally angelic features…it was all incredibly hard to bear. Hoping that a human touch would bring him out of his disturbed condition, the blond cupped the side of Yugi's face with his hand. The touching gesture had more than the desired affect, for a tiny crystal tear fell onto Jounouchi's skin. Surprised by the emotional action, the blond was struck speechless. As he struggled to find something consoling to say, Yugi's eyes finally met his. The amethyst-ruby spheres appeared to be submerged in a sea of mortal anguish. There was no telling how many unshed tears the youth's eyes held, or how many he had produced already. Raising a trembling hand, the quaking adolescent placed the limb over Joey's. Making a profound effort to speak, the duelist was able to shape a small number of sentences.

"He--he told me he'd never hurt m-me…he _p-promised_ he'd n-never do that to m-me…"

"Yug, what're ya talkin' about?" the blond asked, confused by the shaken speech. "I can't help ya out if you won't tell me what's wrong!"

Looking his best friend square in the eye, the youth brokenly replied, "You can't save me…no one can. I'll always be his, a bitch on a chain to possess, to dominate…"


	3. Bloody and Bowed

Chapter 3:Bloody and Bowed

"Yugi, I want you to listen very carefully to me." Joey said, gazing directly into the miserable boy's eyes. "I never, ever want to hear you say those kinda words again, do you understand?"

Shaking his head sorrowfully, the broken boy whimpered, "It's all true, though. Every word I've said is true. I'm nothing but a toy used for someone else's satisfaction, and--"

"And is that all you're good for?"

Shamefully, the magenta-eyed adolescent nodded. "Yes, that's my only purpose in life: to please others."

The disheartened youth attempted to lower his head, but the blond wouldn't permit him to. Hooking a thumb and forefinger around Yugi's tear-stained chin, Joey forced him to look into his eyes. Upon seeing his depressing features reflected in his friend's dark orbs, the duelist felt more tears slipping down his cheeks. He didn't want to burden Joey with his personal dilemmas, that just didn't feel right to do. Besides, the bouncy teenager was the best friend Yugi had ever had the honor of knowing, and he didn't deserve to be subjected to such emotional trash. 

"I-I'm sorry, Joey…" the magenta-eyed teenager apologized, his jaw quivering as he spoke. "I'm so sorry…"

"For what?" questioned the blond, truly bewildered. "I don't even know how to help you, or what's goin' on!"

"For dumping on you like this. It's just not fair to you." answered the disturbed youth, his eyes plastered to the ground 

Heartbroken by Yugi's destroyed appearance, Joey removed his fingers from the pale face. Placing one arm around the boy's narrow shoulders and another slightly underneath his bottom, the taller teenager lifted him onto his lap. He looked so helpless on Jounochi's legs, clinging to the blonde's jacket like a child who was suddenly slapped with cold reality. Permitting his fingertips to glide through the boy's matted bangs, the dark-eyed adolescent gently rocked him back and forth. Accepting the open invitation of affection, Yugi buried his face between the blonde's neck and shoulders. Smearing Joey's skin with hot tears, the ruined child's entire body shook from violent sobbing. Wanting to hold his friend closer to himself, the blond repositioned one of his hands to the shaking adolescent's torso. Just as his fingers grazed the boy's chest, Yugi jerked away. Flinching at his own rapid movements, the boy's visage became a mask of total pain. Feeling his own eyes well up with tears at being pushed away, Joey hung his head. 

__

/ I wanna help him, and I know he wants me to, but he won't let me! Why? Why can't I be there for him when he needs it the most? I care about him so much, but I guess that doesn't stand for anything…/

Peeking at his ally with glossy eyes, the blond caught sight of the magenta-eyed adolescent gripping his upper body. Upon closer observation, the taller teenager could see random red splotches being absorbed into Yugi's shirt. It didn't take long for the blonde's mind to register what ghastly secret his friend was concealing. The only dilemma Joey faced now was the fact that he would have to figure out a way to pry the truth out of the boy. 

__

/What if he lies to me?/ thought Jounouchi, biting on his lower lip. _/He could be so badly hurt that I may never get him to open up to me. Then again, if I turn my back on him and leave him alone, he'll just continue to cower in the corner. No matter what happens, I gotta keep trying. If I give up now, I'll just be showing him I don't give a damn./_

Using a nearby table to steady himself, the blond stood up. As he calmly regarded his ally, Joey made his way to the youth's side. When he was within reaching distance of the cringing adolescent, the taller teen began to stretch his hand out to touch him. Seeing how Yugi turned his face towards the shadows , Jounouchi decided against establishing any contact. Something told the blond that his comrade was deathly afraid of any sort of touching. 

__

/How?/ pondered Joey, unable to understand such a radical change of heart from the traumatized child._ /How could someone so loving and altruistic become so introverted and withdrawn?/_

Feeling the desperate need to free Yugi from whatever grief he was suffering from, Joey whispered, "Yug, let me help you."

Moving like a rusted piece of machinery, the magenta-eyed boy brought his knees up to his chest. Strands of honey hair stuck to his head, the tresses twined with cold sweat. Letting a low moan escape his throat, the devastated child hid his face behind his hands.

"No!" moaned Yugi, his voice cracking as he forced himself to speak. "Don't make me remember, I don't want to remember!"

"Don't you trust me?" asked Jounouchi, lightly removing the adolescent's hands from his visage.

Caught unawares, the wild-eyed adolescent blinked. "What did you say?"

"I just asked you if you trusted me." repeated the blond, amused by the look of astonishment he was getting.

"Can I?"

Shrugging slightly, the dark-eyed teen said, "I dunno, you tell me. You can choose to stay in your own little world and get to be as sociable as Kaiba, or you can tell me what's eatin' ya so we can fight through this thing together. It's your call." Caressing the boy's cheek, Joey added, "I just want ya to know I'll always be here for ya man, and I'll continue to be here for ya as long as you'll let me stay."

Nodding slowly, the child-like youth managed a weak smile. The expression, though sagging somewhat, made the blond heave a sigh of relief. Yugi, as dazed and distant as he seemed, wasn't lost just yet. Restraining the tremendous urge to smother him in an embrace, Joey settled for giving him a smile. Everything was going to be all right after all, as soon as he could get the tiny teen to spill what was up with him.

"Now, would ya mind telling' me what's up?" inquired the dark-eyed adolescent, hooking some of Yugi's wet tresses behind his ear. "I got all the time in the world to listen."

__

/Poor, sweet Joey…/ sympathized Yugi, his thoughts and fears jumbled inside of his brain in pure chaos. _/He's only saying that because he has no idea what I'm holding back. As soon as I spill it all out, he'll offer nothing but cruel criticism. I'll deserve it, of course, but I just wish there was a way to escape the insults. I can't take anymore of that, the irrational violence, the brutal battery, the way my attacker pinned me to ground and forced me to…no. I can't hold this inside any longer, but he'll turn away from me once I illustrate all the acts I've been engaging in. I didn't enjoy the methods used against me, but I should have been able to get out of such a compromising situation. But how do you escape from the clutches of an individual whose only desire is to take advantage of you? Once you're thrust in chains by that dominant person, it's so hard to get away. Do I really trust Joey? Yes, more than anyone else I know! I want him to hold me, to touch me once more with the same tender emotion I didn't even know he had residing within himself. I want to feel like I belong to him, to be his. Jounouchi, my best friend, I also wish for nothing more than to have you. If you truly believe you have it in you to deal with such precarious issues…then do so. You asked me if I trusted you, inwardly questioned if I would open up to you. I do, Joey, I really do…truly madly deeply do…don't let me down./_

Peering at Jounouchi with swollen magenta orbs, the boy unfolded the terribly twisted tale that had changed his life forever.


	4. The Terribly Twisted Tale

Chapter 4: The Terribly Twisted Tale

"Where do I start?" whispered Yugi, his magenta eyes gazing mournfully at Joey.

"Anywhere ya want." said Jounouchi, offering his friend a small smile. "We'll take it nice and slow for ya."

Those words, even though they were stated to put the petite adolescent's fears at ease, caused him to blanch. Shuddering involuntarily, the shorter teen closed his eyes as a horrific memory flashed in his mind. 

/Me being shoved face-down on the ground, cold pavement irritating me skin. Someone above me sneering in arrogance, "We'll take it nice and slow for you, child," before they viciously tore my clothes off. Tender flesh tormented by unkind fingertips, nails cutting into my once flawless complexion. My tongue, disgusted by bitter blood and tears entering my mouth , was unable to avoid the nasty taste of my own fluids. Then the unwanted touching, an assault waged on my body that crushed my heart. Ruthless laughter entered my ears as I fought to free myself from my attacker, but to no avail. All efforts of mine were in vain, for I ended up lying helplessly on my back, awaiting my final breaking point. Ultimately, he--he--/

"H-He got what h-he wanted." the devastated youth said, his breathing becoming shallow.

"Wha? Who did?"

Re-opening his eyes, the magenta-eyed teen felt a fresh batch of tears forming underneath his lids. 

"H-He took m-me and made m-me his. Placed me in b-bondage, cut me up-"

"You mean you've got an array of gashes underneath your shirt?" interrupted Joey, eyeing the sporadic pattern of white and crimson on his ally's top.

Instead of confirming the taller teenager's suspicions, Yugi grew silent and turned his face towards the shadows.

Cupping the formerly innocent duelist's visage, the blond asked, "May I?"

"You don't want to see what's there." said the boy, ashamed at what he had hidden.

"Can't be worse than the scrapes and bruises ya got from that bully that one time."

"I guess you're right about that." agreed Yugi, glancing down at his previously clean school uniform.

"See?" smiled Joey, patting the smaller adolescent's cheek. "All's you need is a little peroxide, some bandages, maybe a little rest and you'll be-"

Halting in mid-sentence, the taller teen gaped at the brutal wounds his comrade showed him. Raising the youth's shirt for a better look, the blond felt a sickening knot gather in the base of his stomach. Yugi's chest, once soft and curvy, had been turned into a haphazard road map of maniacal slashes. One particularly nasty gash began a couple of inches underneath his collar bone and veered off to the top part of his waist. Another cut ran deeply down his side, an injury that would follow him into his adult years. Only a thin layer of discolored flesh covered the soon-to-be scar, the skin appearing to be so fragile that a brush of one's fingertips would probably tear it. Bruises were few and far between, most of them gathering around the various cuts. Joey, as appalled as he was by the level of rough treatment on the duelist's exterior, understood the meaning behind the lengthy gashes. He knew the sick rationale for the lacerations, for he had witnessed similar actions exercised by street thugs in New York City. 

"Worse than you expected." finished the magenta-eyed boy, pulling his attire over his sliced up frame.

"It's not your fault, don't you think for a second that any of this is." soothed Jounouchi, removing a tear from Yugi's features with great care.

"But I let it happen." objected the shiny-eyed adolescent, hating to admit the awful truth to the blond. "I watched as everything took place-"

"_Could _you stop him if you wanted to?" questioned the taller teen, cutting his ally's words short. "Was it within your power to get whoever it was off of you?"

"No, I couldn't-"

"Then why are you blaming yourself?"

"Because I'm so…_weak._" confessed Yugi, picking at a piece of torn flesh. "I can barely sit in class without some over-sized guy threatening to make my life miserable after school. Gods, they even taunt me as I walk down the halls, saying that I like to have intercourse doggie-style."

"That's not so bad, Yug." comforted Joey, draping his arm around his friend's shoulders. "Things could always be worse."

"For instance?" questioned the petite adolescent, pondering what Jounouchi would come up with.

"Well, um, they could, uh…" stuttered the blond, searching for just the right terminology to verbalize. Suddenly, his dark umber eyes glittered with an idea. "They could be sayin' that you like doin' that kinda stuff with guys."

Heaving a sad sigh, the duelist replied, "They already do."

Joey's eyebrows rose. "Oh. I see."

"Matter of fact, everyone's pretty much convinced that I only like guys."

Swallowing hard, the taller teenager asked, "Is it true?"

One of the youth's slender shoulders rose then fell in an indefinite response. That vague answer by itself made the blonde's heart freeze in mid pace. 

__

/Oh, man_! I can hardly believe it! / _thought Jounouchi in amazement, his brain giddy with delight. _/Yug could be like me! If he turns out to be that way, then maybe…no. I'm just dreamin' here, cuz' he'll _never _be with me. Never in a million years will such a smart guy ever want to be seen with a barkin' pup who doesn't know how to shut up. Besides, I shouldn't be hittin' on him right now! He needs a friend, not some sorta perv who's tryin' to hustle him! From the looks of things, he may never want a relationship with anyone anymore…and that's assuming that he's actually ever given thought to the matter. I gotta postpone asking him out until I know for sure that he's into that. I can start makin' a good impression by resolving the present problem. If all goes well, then maybe--just maybe--I'll have some sort of shot at him./_

Putting his plan to work, the dark-eyed teen switched to their former topic of conversation. 

"Yug, it doesn't matter to me who says what about you at school, or anywhere else, for that matter. You're naturally a good person with a strong will capable of doing anything. You even taught me the value of putting my own heart into anything that I do, and that means far more than just placing my faith in a dueling deck. Am I getting' through to ya yet?" Watching the master duelist's head bob up and down gave Joey enough incentive to go on. "Anyhoo, I don't think you realize just how much you mean to everyone here. Boy, if it wouldn't have been for you, I don't think any of us would be together to this day."

Gazing at the taller teen with a spark of hope in his eyes, Yugi asked, "Am I really that important?"

"Of course you are! Y'know everyone adores ya!" chuckled the blond, vanquishing all of the petite adolescent's fears about being useless. "Why would you think any less-"

"I meant to _you_." said Yugi, emphasizing the word "you" by gazing intensely into Jounouchi's murky orbs.

Tipping the youth's small face up to be at the same level as his, the blonde's features softened. "You'll always be my number one priority, Yug. I want ya to realize how much you've changed my life since the day I've met you. Man, I'd still be terrorizing people on the street corner if it weren't for you showing me a better way to be." Sighing noiselessly, Joey added, "I just wish everyone would see there's more to me than the image of bein' a city tough kid."

"What part of you do you want to display?" asked the young duelist, his attention fixed on his comrade.

Glancing at the petite youth, the taller teen let loose his innermost desire. "To be seen as more than friends, Yug. I wanna have an identity that intertwines with your thoughts and feelings, your soul and spirit. I guess I just wanna break outta my stereotyped image of bein' thought of as your big brother and be…" waving his statement off with a flick of his hand, the dark-eyed male said, "Never mind. It's stupid to be thinking of stuff like that, wanting something that just won't happen. I don't know why I even brought it up, at a bad time like this--"

Setting an index finger over Joey's lips, the small adolescent murmured, "Don't be so hard on yourself, Jou-chan. The timing for such a powerful statement couldn't have been more perfect." Enjoying the rosy color spreading over the dark-eyed teen's cheeks, Yugi felt a little smile lifting the corners of his mouth.

__

/Dear spirits, he has_ to have the sweetest combination of features I have ever laid eyes upon! The way he expresses himself with such innocent emotion, blushing at my list of praises…I can't bring myself to believe that such a person was responsible for taking a piece of my millennium puzzle and throwing it out of a window. He really _has _come a long way…from someone who lived life so recklessly, evolving into a guy with incredible courage and strength. After listening to him admit that he has more feelings for me than I ever expected him to develop, I have to make sure that I nurture such a response with enormous caution. I can't risk this moment being for nothing, so I've got to take this chance and run with it…/_

Clearing his throat, the blond inquired, "What do ya mean by that?"

"What I mean," confessed the small adolescent, his voice dropping to barely above a whisper, "is that I'd like nothing more than to _demonstrate _how much I care about you."

After the sentence registered in the dark-eyed male's mind, he felt a burning sensation in his chest. He never would have dared to dream that such an arduous sentence would come from the mouth of his best friend. Apparently Yugi didn't know he had such passion residing in himself either, but the look of surprise lasted only a few fleeting moments on his face. Before Jounouchi could even draw his next breath, the petite adolescent's body language began to accentuate his hidden needs. The child-like duelist stared up at Joey with passion heavy lids, his eyes reflecting a type of longing that he had never shown anyone before. His little cherry colored lips brought themselves together then parted again, hinting at the act he wished to engage in. Joey, weak with his own severe feelings of desire, felt the temperature within his body rise to an abominable amount. Everything he had ever dreamed and fantasized about was being exhibited right in front of him. He mimicked Yugi's mouth motions, not conscious of the powerful message he was conveying. Tapered fingers stroked the fine tri-colored tresses, relishing the silky texture. 

"So wonderfully soft." observed the taller teen, toying with some stray red strands.

"I always thought you might be." complimented the young duelist, a smirk playing with the sides of his mouth.

Grinning widely, Joey asked, "Would you like to find out first-hand how smooth I am?"

Instead of vocalizing his tantalizing requests, Yugi let his eyes fall shut. He allowed his ally a full-length view of his long lashes twirling out onto his skin, his tiny lips puckered, and his back slightly arched, a famous position that all lovers had assumed during their romantic rendezvous. Seeking to quench his fervent need for the boy he held, Jounouchi felt himself fall into a pose similar to that of the waiting adolescent's. The gap between their mouths was only inches apart, but the two teenagers felt as if the space was miles in distance. They could feel the tension around themselves growing, their steamy breath caressing each other's visages. 

Just as the blond was about to fill in the empty space with his lips, Yugi whispered, "Jou-chan, I--I love--"

Prior to finishing his ultimate vow of adoration, the petite adolescent fell slack in his friend's arms. He had used up so much energy trying to utter his last phrase that his tiny structure just gave out. As his eyes snapped open, the taller teen was presented with the sight of his beloved one lying across his lap. Yugi's magenta orbs stared emptily up at the ceiling, his slender hands gripping the open wounds over his flesh. He tried moving his lips, but hardly any word he spoke was above a whisper. Seeing the scared expression on his comrade's face, the shorter adolescent made a feeble attempt at making Joey calm down by holding his hand. In the process of raising the available limb, a searing pain shot up the boy's body, causing him to grimace. Feeling totally helpless and afraid, the young child disappeared into his own thoughts.

__

/I almost did it…I was almost able to tell him how I felt about him. I was only seconds away from getting my first meaningful and untainted kiss, when my body decided to give out. Why does this always happen to me? Every time I try to tell him how I feel about him, something bad happens! Maybe I'm just not meant for redemption…maybe I really am _too weak. I mean, if I can't take care of myself, why should I be given the privilege of doing that for someone else?/_

Using the last of his strength, Yugi mouthed the words he wished he could have told Joey. With a last twitch of mesmerizing pain, the shorter duelist watched weakly as a wave of darkness washed over his line of sight.


	5. Bon Appetite

Bon Appetite…

"Yug?" called Jounouchi, still holding the youth's ashen face.

Only silence prevailed, a sort of nauseating quietness that made him breathe harder. Arctic chills traveled up his spine as he began to shiver. All of a sudden, the world turned into a dark, gloomy place filled with nothing but frightful thoughts and scary dreams. This was by far Joey's worst fear: cradling his significant other while being unable to defend them from their inevitable fate. He felt so powerless, so extremely useless at the moment. Joey's eyes burned with the tears he had been suppressing since he saw his precious love return home looking like a mutilated doll. 

Trying one last time to summon the petite adolescent from the endless abyss of eternity, the taller teen spoke his love's name. 

"Yugi-chan?"

Still the unsettling stillness gripped the atmosphere of the living room. Joey, whose face had gone as pale as Yugi's had, could feel his bottom lip beginning to quiver. Tracing the boy's sun splashed lips, the dark-eyed teenager took in all of his ally's features. The alignment of the duelist's visage was astounding to him. Somehow, the child appeared to be as attractive in death as he was in life. His cheeks, though they had lost their rosy glow, resembled the starry whiteness the moon portrays in the evening. Strands of tri-colored locks cascaded off the sides of the pretty duelist's visage, resembling a rainbow stream filled with precious metals of gold, onyx and ruby. His tiny mouth continued to remain parted, almost as if love had magically froze him in time. Even the peculiar glassy quality of his eyes suggested that he was still waiting for Joey to close in the small distance between them with his mouth. Feeling a cold shiver run down his back, the blond trapped himself in the recesses of his troubling thoughts.

__

/He--he's finally gone. The one who I've spent countless hours daydreaming about in class is really gone. I--I can't believe this!/ his mind screamed in sorrow that only a broken heart would know and understand. _/I won't believe this! It's not fair! Damnit, why me? Why did this have to happen, especially to Yug? He'll never know what love without suffering feels like, never truly comprehend the fact that he is worth far more than some object to use and abuse. And I would have made it so good for him, doing anything he dreamed up just to please him. And those lips of his, that satiny crimson mouth…/_ the blatant truth smacked him like a frosty glacier, almost absorbing the last degree of his energy. _/Yugi's lips, the same sakura blossom-colored flesh I had kissed a thousand times in my dreams, will never touch mine. He'll--he'll never kiss me. Not now, and not ever./_

Stifling a sob, the dark-eyed teen held his emotions at bay for a little while longer. He couldn't bring himself to recognize that his life-long friend had slipped away in his arms. Pulling himself together one last time, Jounouchi let his fingers glide over the boy's clammy skin.

__

/I wish that for once, just once, that fairytales were real./ thought the taller teen, imagining what it would be like if he possessed the qualities everyone thought he did, but never had. _/That way, I could save my damsel in distress by slaying the evil dragon guarding him. I'd be brave, really courageous…just like I always wanted to be. Then, when my pretty prince was in sight, I'd whisk him off his feet. Whatever weapon I used to kill the dragon with, I'd throw it down just to have a few precious moments with my one and only love. As a token of his eternal gratitude, Yug would give me something that would make risking my life worthwhile. Slipping his small arms around my neck, the tiny prince would kiss me so sweetly, so softly that I would have to take him to my castle and hope that he would stay with me forever./ _

Gazing at the adorable duelist with shiny eyes, Joey found that he was unable to look away. _/What if I could make my dream come true right now? Maybe by some crazy miracle, I could kiss him right now, and he'd wake up…/_

Permitting his eyes to fall shut, the dark-eyed teen leaned in towards his koi. The sensation was beautiful, everything he could have hoped for as he captured his love's lips with his own. For a precious moment in time, the two teenagers represented a sort of love that not even exalted members of a royal family could re-enact. 

__

/We put Romeo and Juliet to shame, just me an' you./

He waited for the second his darling morning star would awaken from his sleeping spell, when he would finally see a sign of life return to the petite adolescent's structure.

__

/Rise, fair maiden, and kill thy envious moon sick and pale with grief…/

Still the tiny teenager's body stayed motionless in a corpse-like fashion. Swallowing hard, the blond stared off into the vastness of space. Terrifying truth washed over him, forcing him to accept the event that passed without a logical explanation. Suicidal ideas flashed before his eyes as he gripped his sweetheart's small frame tightly.

__

/My first kiss. This was my first kiss ever, and Yug wasn't even here to share the joy of it with me. I see things clearly now. He'll never be able to share any kinda passion with me. I might as well die./ Fancying the deadly phrase, the taller teen condemned himself to the afterlife. _/That's it…I could just take my own life. That way, I'd be free to look for Yugi. That way, I'd be with him./_

Refusing to let himself cry, the dark-eyed boy scanned the living room. 

__

/There's gotta be something_ in this place that would help me out…/_

Expensive china glinted in the lamp light, showing off its ornate designs behind the glass doors of a display case. On the other side of the kitchen door sat a bookshelf filled with titles that Jounouchi couldn't even pronounce, yet alone read single-handedly. Quaint Precious Moments figurines (no doubt Tea's personal collection) decorated the coffee table near the center of the room, along with some scattered magazines. Littering the carpet in front of their shared television set was a bunch of action figures he had neglected to clean up. They ranged from all different series and appearances, colors and sizes. Most of the interactive toys even came fully equipped with an arsenal of their own. Vaguely remembering some afternoons where he and Tristen spent numerous hours together, the blond was struck with a brilliant recollection. Wanting to outdo his other buddy in the art of destruction, the taller teen had brought out a container of bleach. Grinning maniacally to his comrade, the blond boy dunked a Blue Eyes White Dragon model into the fluid. In a matter of minutes the paint from the fearsome model had totally dissolved, leaving the formally legendary creature a discolored mess. 

__

/That's it!/ he thought to himself, a dark sense of hope forming in his head._ /I can swallow the toxic junk and be rid of my existence! Then I'd be able to crossover and find Yug!/_

Gently setting his love down on the carpet, Joey crawled over to the mound of battered toys. Pushing the unwanted pile underneath a floral print couch, he searched the floor for any clue as to where the small bottle of poison was located. Finally, after looking though every crack of the coffee table, he fished out the desired vial. Concealed in an ordinary cup, one would have made the fatal mistake of thinking the liquid was nothing but water. Joey knew better, though. His nose instantly detected the hideous scent of the bathroom cleaner. 

/Man, Clorox Bleach's about as fragrant as vinegar./

His spine tingled with the combined terribleness of consuming a vile substance and the idea behind the action. Gagging at the distasteful smell of the fluid before him, the dark-eyed boy held his nose.

/There's no turnin' back now…I'm not gonna punk out on this one./

Licking his lips in disdain, Jounouchi raised the glass to his lips. His senses were overwhelmed, his nerves were shot, he just lost his best friend and future lover, but that was all in the past now. He was only concerned with one impulse of his, and that would take precedence over everything else in the world: the fiery need to chase down his crush and make the stunning duelist his.

Tilting his head back to receive the death delivering potion, Joey smiled and said, "Bon appetite, Yugi-chan."

The dead child's name was the last word Jounouchi could vocalize before he crashed onto the furniture below.

__


End file.
